Again - I don't care about photo editing or anything like that -- I just want a large workspace for multiple documents with THE CLEAREST TEXT RESOLUTION.

If I go with option A, I would be comfortable spending $600 for the latest Dell, non-TP panel.

If I go with option B, I'd probably look for one on craigslist, I suppose, or maybe ebay, although I hate buying used stuff.

Maybe there's another option?

I think you kind of answered your own questions...

Go with the Dell. It's a great monitor and offers plenty of real estate for your writing needs. I like the ACDs because of their brightness and clarity, but to be honest, since they're proprietary they usually turn out to be more of a headache to get setup correctly.

Stay away from ebay and Craig's list unless you can find a great deal local to you - from someone who you can get back to in case the deal turns sour.